Ascent to Mount Augstmatthorn overlooking Lake Brienz and Bernese Alps

Saturday July 27, 2024 -- Today we left home very early (about 5:10 a.m., needing to walk 15 minutes to the train station as there are no buses this early on Saturday) for the 3½ hour trip to the Bernese Oberland, where there is a mountain summit called Augstmatthorn, which we have long wanted to climb up to. Leaving this early we could catch the first private bus run from Habkern to the start of our hike at Lombachalp, a 20-minute ride that saves us quite a bit of walking, but which costs 11 Fr. and which you have to reserve ahead of time. (Imagine our surprise when the bus from Interlaken West was full, and about 40 people wanted to take this trip.... the drivers came with three buses, and still had to go back for a second trip. We were lucky, we got spots on the first run). 

The Augstmatthorn is one of several peaks in the long range of mountains on the north side of Lake Brienz, stretching from the Brünig Pass in the East to Harder Kulm in the West. Even though we had once started at the same place (Lombachalp) and hiked up to the Harder Ridge, at that time we walked westward to the popular look-out site at Harder Kulm (those photos are HERE), but had not gone to the summit at that time. 

It only took us 90 minutes to get to the summit (10 minutes faster than suggested), and only the first 45 minutes or so were quite warm already (even though we started at 9 a.m.), but the big shocker of the day were the number of people climbing the same peak! I guess we should have expected this on a rare nice Saturday, but that there were so many foreigners doing this hike (compared to last time) makes me think it is being marketed as a hiking option for all those tourists who only know to come to Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen for their Switzerland trips. Sure it's spectacular, but no longer fun for us. Furthermore, it has always been well-known that this mountain is home to Ibex, which we had hoped to see, but maybe because of the heat or the sheer number of people, they seem to have moved elsewhere.

Most of the tourists had come from Harder Kulm (accessed by a funicular) and were returning there, but we chose to descend to Habkern, which ended up being a very long descent, and a five-hour hike in total. The highlight of the day was that we once again saw a vulture, a Eurasian Black Vulture (I had this confirmed later), another huge and magnificent bird with a 3-meter wing span. It flew only just a few meters directly above us!

On the train along the south side of Lake Thun, passing Leissingen on the way to Interlaken. 

It took 2½ hours to get from home to Interlaken, from where we took a bus to Habkern (which is the town we walked back to). This here is the final stop of the regular bus run, but there is a private company offering vans to transport people another 20 minutes up the mountain. There were about 50 people on our bus who wanted a ride, in vans that transport 10 people each! 

We were lucky to catch a ride on the first set of three Van-Buses which came to transport us to the final spot accessed by motor-vehicle: The restaurant at Lombachalp. (Others had to wait about 40 minutes for the buses to return).  This is one of many buildings along the way. 

We got to Lombachalp at 8:50 a.m., and started on the hike up to Mount Augstmatthorn right away. The sign suggests it takes two hours, but we did it in 90 minutes. And we kept getting passed by other hikers! (This suggestion of 2 hours is probably for the trail via Suggiture, which takes longer. The direct way up is 1 hour 40 minutes, normally). 

The first part of the hike was a steep uphill section of almost 600 meters to the summit of Augstmatthorn, which we did in about 90 minutes. Then 20 minutes to the next peak at Suggiture, then a steep descent to the Harder Crest, where we continued for an hour before the long descent to Habkern. Altogether about five hours!

Heading up the hill from Lombardalp restaurant, the final public access. At 9 a.m. it was already quite hot to walk along this section. More and more people came up behind us, even though several from the bus stopped for coffee at the restaurant first. 

Up ahead we can see the crest between Mts. Augstmatthorn and Suggiture which we will be walking. The first section is almost straight up to Augstmatthorn, and we gained height quickly. 

Behind us is a large moor landscape, and the Hohgant Massif in the back. If the sky had been overcast once we got here we would have walked in that direction, to the north. 

This group of people caught up to us quickly and we "leap-frogged" with them several times during the hike. If people walk more quickly than we do, then we let them pass us, as I have to keep a certain distance from other hikers, which is hard to do when there are so many on the trail. 

Getting further from Lombachalp

To the west we can now see the Harder Ridge, and the approximate spot we descended after walking on the crest for an hour. Our goal is the village of Habkern, in the center. 

At 10:20 we reached the crest and got the first view of Lake Brienz in direction East. It only took us 90 minutes to get up here. 

And the first look at the peaks of the Bernese Alps: Schrekhorn on the left, Finsteraarhorn on the right (the highest peak in the Bernest Alps). Both of them are over 4000 meters. 

Another 5 minutes to get to the actual summit of Mt. Augstmatthorn. There is apparently a herd of Ibex that live on the southern flanks here, but we did not see them. 

I love these flowers, they remind me of the trees from Dr.Seuss' Lorax story.

A look behind us, and that group has now caught up!

Trying to find a good spot for a photo, but having to wait till the other hikers had their turn and were out of the photo! The lake was really this colour. 

I had to ask the group to move so I could get a photo with the summit trail marker. 

Summit of Mt. Augstmatthorn, 2137 meters above sea level. From here it's about another three hours to both Habkern and Harder Kulm. 

To the east is the rest of the massif, all the way to the Brienzer Rothorn above the town of Brienz, a summit accessed by steam train in summer, or cable car on the north side from Sörenberg. There is a trail along this crest, but only for very experienced hikers. 

After a 10- or 15-minute break on the summit, we headed out along the crest to the next summit called Suggiture. Down below on the left, at the west end of Lake Brienz, we get the first look at the popular city of Interlaken. 

Some lovely meadow flowers up here as well. 

Fantastic views of the Bernese Alps from here. No wonder it's a popular hiking spot!

There is a path along the entire crest here, past the forested section at the back, to the popular look-out point at Harder Kulm, a hike we did in 2019, but coming up to the ridge further to the west (not over this peak). 

A close-up look at the summit of Mt. Suggiture ahead

Another look eastward along Lake Brienz, with the lakeside towns below. Across the lake on the far right is the now-infamous village of Iseltwald. 

The boat heading to Iseltwald, a village now overrun by South Koreans who all want their photos taken on a wharf that featured in a popular local (their local) TV series called "Crash Landing on You". Swiss people avoid it now.... 

We took a bit of a break to enjoy the view before joining the other hikers on the final summit. We also tried very hard to see if we could spot some ibex, but they were nowhere to be found. 

Panorama from Augstmatthorn to Suggiture

VIDEO:

Panorama across Lake Brienz

As we sat here, though, another vulture flew right above our heads! (We found out from experts later, that this is a Eurasian Black Vulture). This is apparently Europe's largest vulture. 

A short steep ascent to the final summit. 

Magnificent!

This view of the famous Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau Trio was one we saw from all points along the ridge This is what the entire world comes here to see. 

From Suggiture a look along the rest of the crest. We descended at that final clearing to Habkern on the right, but most of the other hikers continued on (another 4 km!) from there to Harder Kulm at the end of the range. 

Heading down the steep west side of Suggiture with a fabulous view of the lovely Emmental region of Canton Bern, with the Lombachalp on the left below (where we started) and the Hohgant Massif. 

From Interlaken down below (between the two lakes), trains travel up the valley to the left to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. On the far left at the back is Mt. Jungfrau. 

As we headed westward, many many hikers were coming up from Harder Kulm in this direction. (The hike from Harder Kulm to Augstmatthorn and back is about 6 to 7 hours, and I was totally astonished that so many foreigners were doing this! There were very few Swiss-German people here). 

A look back up to the Suggiture peak after we descended from there, and all the people accessing it from the west side!

Where necessary, there are always cable handholds. 

This couple found a good place (off the main path) for a break, with Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau at the back!

Close-up view of Jungfrau and the Silberhörnli (Silver Horns) and the Sphinx observatory at Jungfraujoch on the left.  

This looks like a bee, but is probably a fly masquerading as a bee, from the large eyes!

We also thought this might be a good location for ibex, but there were no animals here either. 

Right about here is where we had ascended to from the left the last time we were here. We had walked to Harder Kulm from here without actually going over these peaks, that is why we chose to do it this time, but not to walk to Harder Kulm again, because that was too boring. 

There on the right is the Suggiture, the peak we walked down from.

And another group of people at the top. 

After a short stretch through a forested area where the path was all full of tangled roots, we enter a clearing close to where we are going to make the descent to Habkern. 

There's that group again! Somewhere along the way we passed them on a break, and they passed us again....

At 1:10 p.m. we got to the Horetalp junction. From here we have another 90 minutes to descend to Habkern, but going on to Harderkulm (where you have to pay to descend with the funicular) also takes 90 minutes. We had a long break here in a shady spot before starting on the descent. 

Descent via Horetalp

A good look at the Augstmatthorn/Suggiture ridge we walked!

The next part of the hike was 45 minutes about 450 meters downhill to the Lombach River. 

Crossing the Lombach River before the final stretch to Habkern (another 45 minutes, a lot on paved roads). 

The cool forest down at the Lombach River, where families with kids were playing in the water. 

Out of the small ravine now. 

We passed through a place called Tschieme where there was a large family camp. From here to Habkern we followed the same road that we took up the mountain in the small private bus. 

Following the paved road which we had come up by small private bus from Habkern to Lombachalp. 

Well, there's an ibex!

Our first look at Habkern, the end of our hike. From here it was another 20 minutes, mostly along a paved road, to the bus stop in the village center. 

Locals getting ready for the 1st of August celebration (National Day). 

All kinds of pretty houses

Houses I could see from the bus stop at village center

A welcome fountain to cool off and refill the water bottles. We got here about 10 minutes before the 15:36 bus, for the 3-hour trip back home. 

A newer-built chalet

From this vantage point we could also see the summit of Suggiture

Heading back out of the valley now by bus, we pass the old church in Habkern. It looks like some fixing-up is taking place. We had a really good look at this very nice church on a separate hike we did, starting here, in April last year (those photos worth looking at are HERE). 

What this hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Approaching Interlaken West now, this is the view of the magnificent Mt. Jungfrau

In Interlaken West, you can see Mönch and Jungfrau. 

Crossing the Aare River Canal which joins the two lakes Brienz and Thun. 

It was the same distance to travel home via Bern to the west or via the Brünig Pass to the East, so we chose the latter, a more scenic route. This view is across Lake Brienz from its west side, heading East. 

All the hikes we have done in the area around Lake Brienz and Grindelwald

Where Lake Brienz is located in Switzerland